LeBron James Says The NCAA Is Corrupt

[gossie21]

If when I graduated from high school I was given free tuition, housing, food, books, health care, coa money, and high level job training I would have held off on going to the military and enjoyed the heck out of 4 years of worry free life that would have set me up for a great job afterwards. A number of the players don't even have to do it more than a year or two. They have it great. If they don't want to go that route that is fine and there are options available to them. Just don't be selfish by breaking the rules and risk hurting others that want to do it the right way.

If you had a choice between

(a) free tuition, housing, food, books, health care COA money, and high level job training

or

(b) six-figure endorsement money and high level job experience

Which would you choose? Like BigblueGAfan or whatever his name was said, this ain't communism. We live in a Free Market Economy. If the college model is so great, then let it compete on the open market. Let athletes chose if they want to take endorsement money.

 

[gossie21]

Sorry but ask Cal, this isn't communism and you're still ignoring the problems with your plan. If the kids want money, don't go to college. Pretty simple.

The system you are championing is more akin to communism than a free market approach. The current model every gets the same thing and is treated the same way, even if they are worth much more or much less than what they are getting.

A free market would allow Marvin Bagley to maximize his earning potential, and would also let Johnny David do the same if he had marketability.

 

[KyCatFan]

If you had a choice between

(a) free tuition, housing, food, books, health care COA money, and high level job training

or

(b) six-figure endorsement money and high level job experience

Which would you choose? Like BigblueGAfan or whatever his name was said, this ain't communism. We live in a Free Market Economy. If the college model is so great, then let it compete on the open market. Let athletes chose if they want to take endorsement money.

The problem isn't choosing a or b. The problem is choosing a and b. No one is stopping them from choosing the money. They just need to make sure everyone involved knows they have no intention of going to school and will be going pro in the G League or overseas. No reason to screw over the school, fans, and teammates because you chose to break the rules.

 

[Ocornett]

https://www.thescore.com/ncaab/news/1494573

Tell us something we didn't know. The thing is, you are a part of the corruption. You don't think meeting with agents and recruits and steering them to certain schools isn't part of the corruption? Receiving free merchandise as a high school player isn't as well? How about receiving a $50k vehicle from your mother (who I am sure didn't get that from within the spirit of the rules)?

I just don't think he has room to talk. He was fortunate that the one and done rule wasn't in place or he likely would have lost his college eligibility. I'm sure the NCAA would have looked harder into an athlete who received a $50k vehicle from his mom, who I believe had no job, than the OHSAA would have. I'm sure an agent set the loan up with someone he is connected to at a bank to make it look legit. Probably no payments until after his last high school ball game.

We all agree that there are problems with the system, but having a person who played the system and likely continually does being a voice against corruption seems like a joke to me.

Well you know Lebron big kid no brains but great basketball player.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

You are clearly, throughout this entire thread, choosing to be willfully blind.

Your prerogative. Things are going to change, whether you like it or not, whether you see the system as fair or not.

Willfully blind? What are you talking about? You aren't worried about football players being paid even though they have the same or more market value and they generate far more money for their schools. You use rationalizations to side step the issue.

All they have to do is get the NBA to end the OAD rule and all is solved. It's really that simple and no, I don't think they will turn college basketball into an unfettered bidding war.

 

[GonzoCat90]

College football players should be allowed the same free market endorsement opportunities as basketball players. So should tennis players. And golfers. And swimmers. And anyone . Let the folks with the money decide who they want to give it to. Simple.

Let the football players declare for the draft out of high school too. Once everyone sees none of them get drafted, they'll be going to college. Making them stay three years is awful. They should be able to leave whenever they want. NFL teams won't take them until they've played a year or two in college, but they should be able to declare.

And if your argument is "do this or move to Estonia," there really isn't an alternative. For all practical purposes, American high school athletes are forced to go to college.

Saying college is fair compensation because it's better than 20k in the G League or moving 15,000 miles away to a country that speaks a language you don't comprehend doesn't justify it.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

The system you are championing is more akin to communism than a free market approach. The current model every gets the same thing and is treated the same way, even if they are worth much more or much less than what they are getting.

A free market would allow Marvin Bagley to maximize his earning potential, and would also let Johnny David do the same if he had marketability.

Then I'd say you aren't a fan of the NBA draft or the structured first contract.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

College football players should be allowed the same free market endorsement opportunities as basketball players. So should tennis players. And golfers. And swimmers. And anyone . Let the folks with the money decide who they want to give it to. Simple.

Let the football players declare for the draft out of high school too. Once everyone sees none of them get drafted, they'll be going to college. Making them stay three years is awful. They should be able to leave whenever they want. NFL teams won't take them until they've played a year or two in college, but they should be able to declare.

And if your argument is "do this or move to Estonia," there really isn't an alternative. For all practical purposes, American high school athletes are forced to go to college.

Saying college is fair compensation because it's better than 20k in the G League or moving 15,000 miles away to a country that speaks a language you don't comprehend doesn't justify it.

I'm actually saying "this is how college works". The issue is with the NBA. Change them.

 

[Jamal Sunburn]

https://www.thescore.com/ncaab/news/1494573

Tell us something we didn't know. The thing is, you are a part of the corruption. You don't think meeting with agents and recruits and steering them to certain schools isn't part of the corruption? Receiving free merchandise as a high school player isn't as well? How about receiving a $50k vehicle from your mother (who I am sure didn't get that from within the spirit of the rules)?

I just don't think he has room to talk. He was fortunate that the one and done rule wasn't in place or he likely would have lost his college eligibility. I'm sure the NCAA would have looked harder into an athlete who received a $50k vehicle from his mom, who I believe had no job, than the OHSAA would have. I'm sure an agent set the loan up with someone he is connected to at a bank to make it look legit. Probably no payments until after his last high school ball game.

We all agree that there are problems with the system, but having a person who played the system and likely continually does being a voice against corruption seems like a joke to me.

Wait how did he play the system again?
Did anybody in the world think Lebron was going to college?

 

[Jamal Sunburn]

lol look how made you guys are because your news channel told you to be.


He's 100% right, and I would think someone who completely bypassed the corrupt organization would be viewed as credible here. He skipped the exploitation and went straight to making the money he was worth.

He's also been in the public spotlight since he was 16 years old and has no scandals or missteps along the way. He's donated his time, his money, his voice, and his influence to numerous charities and has used his self-made platform to benefit as many others as any athlete I can remember.

But yeah he takes an extra step sometimes when making an exciting play and he has political views that differ from some of yours based on his experience and perspective. Tear him down and then make Richie Farmer the governor.

Stop saying completely accurate statements. There's no place for that here.

 

[mj2k10]

Willfully blind? What are you talking about? You aren't worried about football players being paid even though they have the same or more market value and they generate far more money for their schools. You use rationalizations to side step the issue.

All they have to do is get the NBA to end the OAD rule and all is solved. It's really that simple and no, I don't think they will turn college basketball into an unfettered bidding war.

All is not solved by that, not by a long shot. You seem to think it would just go back to the way it was from 95-2005, and I think you are completely wrong. That's where you are being willfully blind.

The NBA didn't like that model, so they are highly unlikely to follow it again. They would be far more likely to make it more palatable for players with little interest in college to play professionally, without having to commit millions of dollars and roster spots to them, than to just go back to 95-05. Commit a smaller amount of money, but get the option to develop a player for 2-3 years. I think A LOT of NBA owners would be in favor of that.

And that would effect waaaaaaaay more than the 10 players a year you're pointing at. Even if the NBA does go back to the old model, you're still likely to see more guys skipping college than you did from 95-05, just as we've been seeing an increase in 1 and dones over the last few years.

 

[KyCatFan]

Wait how did he play the system again?
Did anybody in the world think Lebron was going to college?

Because he was an amateur that was still playing amateur ball and received free gifts and a $50k vehicle. Both times brought question marks about him remaining eligible to play in high school. They (OHSAA) of course cleared/eventual cleared him because they likely didn't want to be responsible for sitting the next Michael Jordan. There would have been 0 issues if they waited until he played his last high school game before people started giving him free stuff. He risked screwing up his team's season.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

All is not solved by that, not by a long shot. You seem to think it would just go back to the way it was from 95-2005, and I think you are completely wrong. That's where you are being willfully blind.

The NBA didn't like that model, so they are highly unlikely to follow it again. They would be far more likely to make it more palatable for players with little interest in college to play professionally, without having to commit millions of dollars and roster spots to them, than to just go back to 95-05. Commit a smaller amount of money, but get the option to develop a player for 2-3 years. I think A LOT of NBA owners would be in favor of that.

And that would effect waaaaaaaay more than the 10 players a year you're pointing at. Even if the NBA does go back to the old model, you're still likely to see more guys skipping college than you did from 95-05, just as we've been seeing an increase in 1 and dones over the last few years.

That's probably pretty accurate.

 

[Jamal Sunburn]

Because he was an amateur that was still playing amateur ball and received free gifts and a $50k vehicle. Both times brought question marks about him remaining eligible to play in high school. They (OHSAA) of course cleared/eventual cleared him because they likely didn't want to be responsible for sitting the next Michael Jordan. There would have been 0 issues if they waited until he played his last high school game before people started giving him free stuff. He risked screwing up his team's season.

What does that have to do with the NCAA?
And he was cleared from this. You know how many kids get free stuff in High School because of who they are?
Regardless, Lebron didn't game the system. He just doesn't allow people to use him without getting something out of it. And that makes people mad.
Some might even say the OHSAA going after Lebron was a..... wait for it.... Witch Hunt.

 

[yoshukai]

I'll admit I haven't read this whole thread , but it makes me happy when ANYBODY makes Emmert look like a fool .

 

[Bluesbrother]

Right, but what's the joke?

Joke? The humor here is mostly just your willingness to defend every utterance LeBron makes. It's sort of annoying in the same way a barking dog is distracting while two like-minded people try to have a conversation.

 

[GonzoCat90]

Joke? The humor here is mostly just your willingness to defend every utterance LeBron makes. It's sort of annoying in the same way a barking dog is distracting while two like-minded people try to have a conversation.

I "defended" LeBron from a dumbass throwaway comment that had zero relevance to the conversation.

It wasn't funny. It wasn't relevant. It wasn't original. You could make an equally awful joke about Mike Krzyzewski and I'd tell you it was awful.

But get in line with the rest of the preteens and ask if LeBron is my boyfriend. A half dozen pages of real discussion being had by intelligent people with differing opinions and *that* is what you chose to chime in about. Embarrassing.

 

[Poetax]

You are opening up a huge can of worms if you allow some players to get loans while others can't while they are all still amateurs.



I don't care that it is James specifically saying it. I just think it is dumb that a guy who never went to college and was caught up in amateur issues in high school and is meeting up with his agent along with amateurs is trying to be the one to say the NCAA is corrupt. He is part of the corruption in my opinion.

Bootleggers in eastern KY were the first to say "lets keep our county dry."

 

[Bluesbrother]

I "defended" LeBron from a dumbass throwaway comment that had zero relevance to the conversation.

It wasn't funny. It wasn't relevant. It wasn't original. You could make an equally awful joke about Mike Krzyzewski and I'd tell you it was awful.

But get in line with the rest of the preteens and ask if LeBron is my boyfriend. A half dozen pages of real discussion being had by intelligent people with differing opinions and *that* is what you chose to chime in about. Embarrassing.

Embarrassing? You're the one with almost 24,000 posts. At your current rate, you could break 24,000 before sunrise. Anyway, I think everyone knows where you stand regarding LeBron's comments on the NCAA and I didn't suggest that you and LeBron were a "thing". You aren't are you? I think I might read through the thread again and see if I can spot the "intelligent" content you mention...I must have missed it the first time. I could only wish I were indeed a pre-teen again...the things I would do differently.

 

[KyCatFan]

What does that have to do with the NCAA?
And he was cleared from this. You know how many kids get free stuff in High School because of who they are?
Regardless, Lebron didn't game the system. He just doesn't allow people to use him without getting something out of it. And that makes people mad.
Some might even say the OHSAA going after Lebron was a..... wait for it.... Witch Hunt.

It has to do with amateurism and eligibility which effects high school and college.

 

[Jamal Sunburn]

It has to do with amateurism and eligibility which effects high school and college.

But what does it have to do with him gaming the system a far as the NCAA is concerned? We have already established he wasn't going to college.
So he gamed the system by getting some jersey's and a car while in High School when it was a known fact he was going to be a millionaire in a few months?
That's what we're talking about now?

If anybody is qualified to talk about the corrupt NCAA it would be Lebron James.

Not a talking head on tv. Not a school administrator.

 

[screwduke1]

Wow LeBron, thanks for telling us something we didn't already know.

 

[mj2k10]

That's probably pretty accurate.

OK, at least you're being consistent. You really do seem to favor a college baseball model.

And honestly, I can't say that's wrong. It really is probably the healthiest state that a college sport can find itself in. The best of the best can skip it, but then it's a pretty fair opportunity to everyone else involved.

I'm still not sure, though, that you appreciate what a radical change this would be for college basketball. Under a system like that, you can look at about 90% of tourney champs for the last 60 years and say they likely would not have had their best player (or multiple players) in the year they won a title.

 

[Pete391]

If you had a choice between

(a) free tuition, housing, food, books, health care COA money, and high level job training

or

(b) six-figure endorsement money and high level job experience

Which would you choose? Like BigblueGAfan or whatever his name was said, this ain't communism. We live in a Free Market Economy. If the college model is so great, then let it compete on the open market. Let athletes chose if they want to take endorsement money.

If the players coming out of high school want endorsement deals and perks then they need to stay away from college and get what they can..There is no law stating they have to go to college...If you as a player decide to go to college be a man and obey the rules...